Railroad-tie-adzing machine



Sept. i0, 1929. J, J, PIERCE 1,727,557

RAIVLROAD TIE ADZING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1928y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 u@ *1 N l m Q0 v: N o 0 Q 4 SQ JN l\ o N o a VN v0 fr] N N nl: Q fn?? s Q J Sept. l0, 1929. J, J MERCE 1,727,557

RAILROAD TIE ADZING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Slept. I, 19,291.

'JOHN J. PIERCE', or* RooKronD, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD-TIE-ADZING MACHINE.

Application filed February 27, 1928. Serial No. 257,212;

This invention relates to a railroad tie adzing machine especially rdesigned, for` adzing or refacing the ties in the track for the relaying` of rails, which have to be righted or trued up from time to time when they become turned out by traffic.

The present invention contemplates the use of a machine whereby the adzing may be performed at a much lower labor cost, and

also at a saving in tool costs as well as a saving in ties and rails. llilhen the adzing was done by hand it usually took about fifty men three eight-hour days to relay one track mile of rail. With the machine of the. present inventi-on the same work may be performed with about half as many men in the same period of time. This is due to the fact that the manual labor for adzing and for grinding adzes is dispensed with. The saving in ties resulting` from the present invention is due to the fact that the adzing is never apt to be done too deep and is, furthermore, bound to be smooth and uniform so that there are no pockets for water to collect in and cause .25 rotting of the ties. T he saving' in rails resulting in the use of the machine is due to the fact that the rails will be laid square to present the full tread to the wheels. Where the ties were improperly adzed, the rails would :lo wear prematurely and were also apt to develop deformities, such as surface kinks, thus making frequent replacements necessary.

The machine of the present invention com'- prises a vehicle, generally resembling a trac- 1:5 tor and maneuverable like a tractor to and from the place of work, and serving as a portable carrier for a pair of oppositely disposed power-driven rotary adzing heads. In the adzing; of the track ties the one rail is taken up for a stretch of track to be repaired and the other rail is not disturbed. The machine is then operated along the remaining rail as a guide, with two of the tractor wheels resting on the rail, the latter fitting in locating grooves in the treads thereof. The adzer on this side of the machine. which is disposed between the front and rear wheels, is elevated to an out of the way position above the rail. The other wheels are arranged to operate Where the rail was removed, and for that reaadzer it has to ride in the old rail seats, whereas the rear wheel operates in 'the freshly adzed rail seats.

For this reasonthe ma chine is equipped with a pair of oppositely disposed power driven brushes at the forward end thereof so as'to clean olf any dirt yor debis from the ties and thereby insure the smooth riding of the tractor, and hence make certain of the uniform cutting of the adzers.

Of course, the brush on the rail side of `the y machine may be elevated out of the waylike the adzer on that'side. plated to provide at the y'It is also contemf rear end of the machine means for spraying creosote oil onto the rail seats to preserve the ties in case the adzingpenetrates the normal creosote treatment.

Only one sprayer need beprovided if the same is adjustable from one side of the machine to the oth'er'to cooperate with Whichever adzer is being,` used. Alfter the one side of the track has been taken care of in the manner described and the rail is relaid,

the machine is backed up to the starting point. Then the other rail may be taken up for the same stretch of tr ack and themachine operated using ythe relaid rail vas a guide. The rims will, of course, be removed from the treads of the wheels to which they were first applied and placed on the other wheels to enable the operation of the machinein substantially the same way as before. For a simif lar reason, the adzer used in the first run will i be elevated to an out of the way position and the other lowered to operative position.

The invention embraces the above and other special features as will be brought out in the course of the following detailed description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein-,-

Fig. l is a side view o f my improved railroad tie adzing machine shown in place on a Atrack for operation in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front View of Fig. 1 showing how the one rail serves to guide the machine to perform the adzing operation when the other rail is removed; and how the idle brush is arranged to be raised out of the way; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking forwardly.

The same reference numerals apply to 'core responding parts throughout the views.

The machine comprises a tractor vehicle which, as shown in Fig. 1, has the Chassis 5 provided with front ldriving wheels 6 equipped with the endless chain type tractor treads 7. The rear wheels 8, similarly equipped with the tractor treads 9', are arranged to be steered by the wheel 10 through c suitable steering rod connections.

The engine is mounted in the forward end of the chassis beneath the hood 12 and has a. suitable reversible and differential drive connection with the front Wheels 6 under the control of I vthechange gear lever 13 and clutch pedal 14 provided in front of the operators seat 15. The tank 16 contains the gasoliney or other fuel on which theengine is to run.y As thus far described, it will be evident that the machine is practically thesame as an ordinary tractor and hence may easily be run up and down embankments onto and off Vthe, Vright of way under its own power.

The machine is equippedV with a pair of oppositely disposed power driven rotary brushes 17 and 17 to operate on the track in front of either of the front wheels. Swinging brackets 18 carried on the front end of the chassis provide mountings for the arbors carrying the brushes. Link connections 19 with the hand levers 20, which arefshiftable to different positions on notched sectors 21, enable the adjustment of the brushes 17 from the operators seat. lVhen either brush .is not in use, it is arranged to be raised out of the wayy by pulling back on its lever 20. While the brushes may be driven in any suitable manner, I have shown belts 22 operating over pulleys 23 and 24: for drivingthe same together. Another belt 25 operates over pulleys 26 and 27 to transmit the drive'through suitable transmission from the engine to the two brushes. The brush lowered to operative position in the use of the machine serves to clean 0E any dirt or debris from the ties in the path of the wheels running in back of the same, it being noted at this point' that during ythe adzing or refacing of ties only the wheels on one side ofthe machine are run onthe ties` the other wheels being run on the rail, as clearly illustrated inv Fig. 2. All of the wheels are provided with location grooves '28 rinthe treads thereof arranged to receive flexible rims ,or tires 29. These may be of rubber or fabricated of some other material to aord the requisite flexibility for operation with the linked chain tractor treads, as shown in Fig. 1. Screws or other fasteners serve to secure the rims 29 in place. Only two rims are provided and these are designed for quick detachability for removal from the wheels on one side and placement on the wheels on the other side. lfhen the rims are removed from the wheels on one side the screws 30 thereof may be replaced in their holes in the grooves 28 so that the holes are not left `exposed and will not become clogged with dirt. l/Vhen the rims 29 are removed, as shown in Fig. 2, the wheel grooves 28 enable the running of the wheels on a rail and, therefore, are arranged to guide the machine along the proper course while the rims of the other wheels, running on the ties, serve to keep the tractor treads raised off the ties by riding where the rail has been removed. It is, therefore, due partly to the running of the one pair of wheels on the one'rail and partly due to the way in which the rims 29 operate, as well as the fact that the front and rear wheels each span at least two ties, that the power-driven rotary adzing head 3l or 3l', dependin(r upon which one is in use, is always kept ou an even keel in the operation of the machine. Consequently, a smooth kerf or rail'seat is cut on each tie and, of course,`to a uniform depth. In other words, all of the rail seats are cut substantially in the same horizontal plane. The adzer heads may, Aif desired, be driven through suitable transmission from the engine as in the case of the rotary brushes. However, I have illustratedr each head as driven by a motor 32. Each head, with its motor, is carried on an adjustable bracket 33 suspended from the chassis. The head is arranged with its axis normally substantially horizontal but making an angle of approximately with the fore and aft axis of the machine. That is, the head is disposed at an acute angle with reference to the direction of travel. As a result, the kerf or rail seat 34 produced thereby and indicated in dotted lines in l has fillets at the ends. That such a cut will be made should be evident from the showing of the adzer 31 in Fig. 3. There are no shoulders or recesses at the ends of each cut where water might collect. The rail seat itself is, of course, absolutely flat and smooth and devoid of the rslight water pockets produced when the adzing is done by hand. rEhe adzer heads are preferably provided with insertible replaceable blades, as diagrammatically indicated. These blades are preferably of tool steel and hardened suliiciently that, in case a spike stub is encountered. the same will be sheared off without injury to the blades. Of course, care will be taken to see that the spikes are removed but there is always apt to be a. few broken olf fragments which have to be taken into consideration. The brack- (iii ets 38 are adjustable vertically through suitable screw and nut means on the depending brackets 36 by hand Wheels 37, Thus,' the depth of cut may be varied to suit requirements. A tiltingadjustment of each bracket 33 is made by turning a hand wheel 38, one of which is provided for each adzer. Thus, the heads may be adjusted relative to the chassis to their proper position( l/Vhere it becomes necessary to cant the rails slightly inwardly to offset the first effects of traffic, it will be obvious that this effect may be secured by proper inclination of the adzing heads. Thile the adzing will ordinarily not penetrate the normal creosote treatment of the ties, it frequently is desirable to spray the freshly made kerfs or rail seats to guard against decay and for this purpose I have mounted a creosote tank 39 on the rear end of the chassis having a delivery pipe 40 eXtending therefrom and arranged to be directed preferably to either side of the machine7 according to Which adzer is in use. A valve il controls the How of creosote oil through the pipe i0 so that the proper amount ofroil is discharged onto each tie.

In operation, when the ties in a track indicated at A, are to be adzed in accordance with my invention. the one rail is removed for a certain stretch of track and thc machine is run onto the track and the Wheels on one side thereof allowed to ride on the remaining rail. The adzing head to be used is set for the desired depth of cut and at the correct angle, and the rotary brush in front of the same is swung down into position to clean off the ties in the path of the wheels and adzer. rlhe rail left standing serves to guide the machine so that the adzing is always done at the proper gauged distance with respect thereto. When the stretch where the rail been removed has been adzed and the rail relaid, the machine is backed up to the starting point. 'Iheny the other rail vis taken up for the same stretch as before and the machine is then operated using the other adzer and brush. The newly relaid 'rail serves to guide the machine to insure the adzing at the proper gauged distance with respect thereto. The fact that the machine insures against the likelihood of cutting too deep or not cutting uniformly results in a considerable savingl in ties, it having been found that, with the best of supervision, where the adzing is done by hand there is always apt to be a certain amount of damagedone by cutting too deep, and there is always bound to be more or less tie decay because of the water pockets formed in the hand adzing. Vlith the present machine, a refaced tie Will be practically as good as a new 'tie so far as the uniformity of the kerf or rail seat is concerned. It is hardly necessary to point out further that the uniformity in the adzing which is secu red by the present invention results in a great saving in rails due to the fact that the rails Willbe laid square and there will be no likelihood of surface kinks being formed. The lack of uni formity in hand adzing prevented the laying square of therails and resulted in innumerable distortions of the rails under traffic.

It is believed the foregoing` description conveys a clear understanding of the machine of the present invention and ofthe novel method of track repairing practiced there-r with. While I have gone into detail in the description of certain features of the present machine it should be understood that they permit of considerable variation Without departing from the spirit of the invention. For this reason the appended claims have been drawn to 4cover all legitimate modifications7 adaptations and variations which may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art as a result of the present disclosure.

I claim: f i

l. A machine of the character' described comprising` a portable vehicle having right and left hand wheels, the wheels on one side being arranged to ri-de along one rail of a track and the wheels on the other side being arranged to ride on the ties where the companion vrail has been removed, the first mentioned wheels in operating along the rail serving to guide the vehicle on a proper course in relation to said rail, the other wheels operating on the ties being yof the endless chain tractor type, each of which is arranged always to rest on at least two ties at a time wherebyy to insure smooth riding of the vehicle, said wheels being provided with rimsarranged to operate where the rail Was removed whereby to keep the tread portions of said wheels'elevated off the ties and thereby further insure smooth riding of the vehicle, and an adzing head mounted on said vehicle to operate at a gauged distance in relation to the rail left standing,

2. A machine as set forth in claim l Where in the adzing head iS disposed about midway between the front andrear wheels of the pair operating on the ties, whereby toreduce to a minimum the rise and fall of the head incident to any rough riding of the Wheels in the operation of the machine on the track, and a brush is mounted in front of the forward Wheel of the pair to clean off the ties inad-y vance of the Wheels.

3. A machine as set forth in claim l wherein the adzing head turnson a substantially horizontal axis but is vrdisposed With itsaxis at an acutey angle to the fore and/aft anis of the vehicle for the purpose described. i

4i. A machine of the character ,described comprising a vehicle having right and left hand Wheels of an endless chain't-ractor typek each of which is arranged When riding on the ties in a track to ri-de on at least two tiesat a time, said wheels being provided with grooves, the grooves in the opposite ywheels being spaced approximately equivalent to theranged to beV caused to operate on the ties to spacing of the rails in a track, the wheel or wheels on one side being arrangedA to ride along one rail of a track whereby to gui-de the vehicle on a proper course in the operation of the machine, the rail being received in the grooves of said wheels, the other wheel or wheels being arranged to ride on the ties where the companion rail has been removed, rims arranged to be mounted in the grooves of the last mentioned wheels tol lreep the treads thereof elevated off Athe ties, and an adzing headl mounted on said vehicle to operate on the ties at a gauged distance in relation to the rail left standing. i Y

5. A machine as set forth claims( including meansv for detachably securing said rims in the wheel grooves, the grooves of the wheel or wheels on either side of the machine being arranged yto receive said rims7 and the said securing means being arranged for cooperation with either wheels.

6. In a machine as set forth in claim wherein said rims are arranged to be mounted in the grooves of the wheels on either side of the machine, brushing means arrangedl to be operated in front of either of the front wheels to clear off the ties in advance of the riding thereon of said rims.

7. A machine as set forth in claim d wherein the adzing head turns on a substantially horizontal axisbut is disposed with its axis at an acute angle to the fore and aft axis of the vehicle for the purpose described.

8. Amachine of the character dei comprising a vehicle having endless tractor type wheels on both sides thereof, means on said Wheels whereby the same are arranged for operation along a rail to hold the machine against sidewise displacement with respect thereto and thereby guide the same in its operation on a traclr, the wheel or wheels on only one side being arranged to be operated on a rail during normal operation, meanswhereby the wheels are arranged to ride in the rail seats on the ties with the tread portions of the wheels held elevated with respect to the other portions of the ties, the wheel or wheels on onlj7 one side of the machine being arranged to be so operated in the normal operation of the machine, and adzing means carried by the vehicle and arranged to be brought into operative position with respect to the ties on either side of the machine and at a propergauged distance with respect to the rail left standing.

9. A machine as setv forth in claim 8 including brushing means carried by the vehicle and arranged to be brought into operation at either side of the machine to clear off the ties in front of the wheel or wheels operating on said ties.

l0. A machine as set forth in cla'ni 8 including creosote treating means carried by the vehicle at kthe rear end thereof and artreat the newly adzed rail seats at either side of the machine.

1l. A machine of the character described comprising a vehicle having wheels on opposite sides thereof arranged to operate either on a rail or on the rail seats on the ties, adzing heads on both sides of the machine, and means forl individually raising and lowering said heads whereby either one may be brought intov operative position.

12. A machine as set forth in claim 11 including a pair of brushes mounted on the forward end of the machine for clearing o the ties in front of the wheel or wheels arranged to operate thereon, and means for individually raising and, lowering said brushes whereby either one may be brought into operative position whendesired.

18. A machine as set forth in claim ll including means for individually adjusting the adzing heads angularly with respect to the vehicle whereby to adz the rail seats at any predetermined angle.

la. A machine as set forth in claim l1 wherein the adzing heads revolve on a substantially horizontal axis and are disposed with their axes extending at acute angles to the fore and aft axis of the vehicle for the purpose described.

l5. ln a machine as set forthv in claim 11 wherein the adzing heads normally revolve on a substantially horizontal axis and are disposed with their axes extending at acute angles to the fore and aft axis of the vehicle for the purpose described, means for adjusting the heads individually to different positions of angularity with respect to the vehicle whereby to cut rail seats at the desired angle with respect to a horizontal.

16. A machine of the character described comprising a vehicle having tie adzing means carried thereby, the wheels of said vehicle on both sides thereof being of the endless chain tractor type, all of said wheels being grooved intermedially of the tread portions thereof whereby the wheels on either side of the vehicle arearranged to fit on a rail and ride along the same and thereby Iguide the vehicle for operation, and flexible rims arranged to be fastened interchangeably in the grooves of the wheels on either side of the machine, said rims when fastened in place in said grooves projecting substantially from the treads of the wheels.

17. A machine of the character described comprising a vehicle having wheels on opposite sides thereof arranged to operate either on a rail or on the rail seats on the ties, adzing heads on both sides of the machine, means for raising and lowering said heads whereby either one may be brought into operative position, and creosote treating mea-ns carried by the vehicle at the rear end thereof and arranged to be caused to operate on the ties to treat the newly adzed rail seats at either side of the machine.

18. A machine of the character described comprising a vehicle having wheels on opposite sides thereof, arranged to operate either on a rail or on the rail seats on the ties, adzing means arranged to be operated 0n either side of the machine approximately midway between the front and rear wheels, and means for raising and lowering the same either to clear the rail or to operate on the rail seats.

19. A machine as set forth in claim 18 including brushing means arranged to be operated on either side of the machine to clear ofl' the ties in front of the wheel or wheels arranged to operate on the rail seats.

20. A machine as set forth in claim 18 including creosote treating means carried by the vehicle at the rear end thereof, arranged to be operated to treat the newly adzed rail seats at either side of the machine.

In witness of the foregoing I aiix my signature.

JOHN J. PIERCE. 

